Tshegofatso Pule murder accused has history of brushes with the law

The man accused of killing Tshegofatso Pule, allegedly for money, has had previous run-ins with the law, including being charged for attempted murder and possession of a suspected stolen vehicle.

All the cases but one which Muzikayise Malephane, 31, faced were later withdrawn. These revelations are contained in a police profiling report seen by Sowetan.

However, according to Malephane's mother and some of his neighbours in Zondi, Soweto, he is a "peaceful man who is not capable" of Pule's gruesome murder.

Malephane's mother said her son would not have any reason to kill anyone for money as she took care of him.

She said she knew very little about her son's life after he left her home three years ago.

"I am really shocked about what has happened. My son has three children with different mothers. I take care of them. Why would he kill a woman? He does not need money," she said.

"I am praying every day for God to help me cope."

She said she learnt that something had happened to her son when police called her a few days ago to go and fetch her car after he was arrested.

Malephane was returning from Mpumalanga on Monday when he was arrested by the police in connection with Pule's murder.

He appeared in the Roodepoort magistrate's court on Wednesday to face a charge of premeditated murder. He abandoned a bail application.

In April last year, Malephane was caught travelling at 161km/h in a 120km/h zone. He pleaded guilty and paid a R1,000 admission of guilt fine.

In July last year, police again detained him for being in possession of a "presumably stolen" vehicle. The case was withdrawn, according to police records.

In November 2012, Malephane was arrested in connection with an attempted murder involving a firearm but this case was also withdrawn.

In the same year, he was arrested for attempted burglary, but the matter was later withdrawn.

In 2007, he was arrested for pointing "something that is likely to lead a person to believe it is a firearm" - also withdrawn.

In the neighbourhood in which he grew up and was nicknamed "Cheese Boy", Malephane's friends and neighbours insisted he would not harm anyone.

"He likes people and he is the kind of guy who did not hold grudges," said one neighbour who refused to provide her name. "I hung around him a lot. He was a party animal. I am shocked he could be linked to such a gruesome crime. I can't believe what I saw on television. He was the kind of guy who just changed cars now and then," she said.

Another neighbour said Malephane was not "desperate to kill someone for money".

"He could have asked for money from his mom. She could have given him the R70,000 and more. 

"It is baffling that a guy like him could be promised money and then commit such a crime," the neighbour said.

Yesterday some of Malephane's friends said they were perplexed when they saw their friend on national television and accused of Pule's murder.

"I watched the news the entire day. I've never done that before. I'm shocked. Cheese [Boy] is not the kind of guy who could do something like that," one friend said.

According to a statement taken by police from Malephane, he allegedly confessed to killing Pule, saying the murder was planned together with a man who Pule knew.

He was allegedly promised R70,000 for the murder.

Pule's body was found stabbed and hanging from a tree in a field in Roodepoort two weeks ago.

She was eight months pregnant.

Pule was last seen on  June 4 after leaving her home in Soweto to visit her boyfriend. Although her body was found the next day, her family positively identified her only on June 8.

She was laid to rest on Thursday last week.

Police spokesperson Capt Kay Makhubele said: "When we do our investigations we can't publish every step of our investigation. You want news but we want a conviction in court. A conviction can only happen when we do things confidentially."